Add-on clothes hanger for appliance

ABSTRACT

An add-on adjustable clothes hanger assembly adaptable for attachment to the venting slots of free standing domestic appliance cabinets having an extensible hanger rack for clothing and the like. A vertical tubular member of the hanger assembly is attached to a cabinet panel by bracket means including a mounting plate having a pair of slots arranged to align with the vertical extending venting slots formed in a wall of the appliance. A tube strap has a curved portion conforming to the curvature of the tube and a pair of outwardly extending offset feet one of which is positioned through one set of aligned slots for retention by a threaded fastener extending through the other set of aligned slots while the remaining foot is spaced outwardly from the mounting plate whereby a fastener is in threaded engagement with the remaining foot and the plate to clamp the tube between the strip and the plate. A one-way catch in the form of a push-up arm allows an adjustable clothes supporting tube, telescoped in the tubular member, to be lowered to a retracted position or extended to various heights above the appliance.

United States Patent [191 Bernard Dec. 16, 1975 [54] ADD-ON CLOTHESHANGER FOR APPLIANCE [75] Inventor: James A. Bernard, Dayton, Ohio [73]Assignee: General Motors Corporation,

Detroit, Mich.

[22] Filed: Jan. 10, 1975 [21] Appl. No.: 540,155

[52] US. Cl. 211/102 [51] Int. Cl. A47F 5/08; A47F 7/24 [58] Field ofSearch 211/96, 102, 103, 87, 123, 211/176, 182, 48, 166, 86; 248/351,354,

Primary ExaminerRoy D. Frazier Assistant Examiner-Terrell P. LewisAttorney, Agent, or FirmEdward P. Barthel [57] ABSTRACT An add-onadjustable clothes hanger assembly adaptable for attachment to theventing slots of free standing domestic appliance cabinets having anextensible hanger rack for clothing and the like. A vertical tubularmember of the hanger assembly is attached to a cabinet panel by bracketmeans including a mounting plate having a pair of slots arranged toalign with the vertical extending venting slots formed in a wall of theappliance. A tube strap has a curved portion conforming to the curvatureof the tube and a pair of outwardly extending offset feet one of whichis positioned through one set of aligned slots for retention by athreaded fastener extending through the other set of aligned slots whilethe remaining foot is spaced outwardly from the mounting plate whereby afastener is in threaded engagement with the remaining foot and the plateto clamp the tube between the strip and the plate. A one-way catch inthe form of a push-up arm allows an adjustable clothes supporting tube,telescoped in the tubular member, to be lowered to a retracted positionor extended to various heights above the appliance.

1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures US. Patent Dec. 16, 1975 3,926,315

ADD-ON CLOTHES HANGER FOR APPLIANCE This invention relates to homeappliances with an add-on clothes hanger rack and more particularly tobracket means for the clothes hanger which may be interchangeablysecured to the venting slots of major appliances such as clothes washersor dryers.

Most domestic clothes dryers have cycles for permanent press clothingwhich require that the permanent press clothing that is being dried beremoved as soon as the tumbling drum of the dryer has stopped rotatingin order to prevent wrinkles being imparted to the clothes. For thisreason it is desirable to provide domestic clothes dryers with a readilyaccessible add-on hanger rack for supporting garments exterior of thedryer cabinet which may be used by the housewife to hang garmentsthereon after being removed from the dryer while allowing the rack to beeasily adjusted into a retracted position when not being used.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide animproved clothes hanger rack and mounting bracket therefore which may beused interchangeably on major appliances such as clothes dryers andwashers while being merchandised as an add-on item that allows ahomemaker to readily attach the bracket to the appliance without theneed for special tools to provide mounting holes in the cabinet walls,and which bracket is designed to be secured adjacent either side of theappliance.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improvedclothes hanger rack bracket assembly for an appliance including amounting plate and strap for clamping the rack vertical socket tube bymeans of the existing venting slots located in the appliance cabinet.The mounting plate includes means for removably mounting same flush withthe cabinet such that a pair of slots therein are aligned with a pair ofthe venting slots, while the strap has a semicircular portion conformingto the socket tube and a pair of offset feet spaced a defined distanceallowing one foot to be positioned through a first set of aligned slotsfor retention by a threaded fastener extending through the second set ofaligned slots, and the remaining foot is spaced outwardly from themounting plate whereby a fastener is in threaded engagement with theremaining foot and the plate to clamp the socket tube between the stapand the plate.

These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent fromthe following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention isclearly shown.

In the Drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of an appliancecabinet illustrating the location of the removable clothes dryer racksupported by the bracket assembly of the present invention with theadjustable rack being shown in both its retracted and extendedpositions;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged horizontal sectional view takensubstantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical elevational view, partly in section, ofthe adjustable clothes hanger and supporting bracket; and

FIG. 4 is a view taken substantially along the line 44 of FIG. 3.

With reference to FIG. 1, a portion of a major appliance, such as adomestic dryer, is shown at 10 having an enclosed cabinet with one sidepanel or wall being shown at 12 and the rear panel or wall of thecabinet shown at 14. An example of a domestic clothes dryer which may beused with the present invention is disclosed in 1.1.8. Pat. No.3,541,303 issued Nov. 17, 1970 to T. .l. Brinkman, et al, the disclosureof which is incorporated by reference herein. An elongated box-likecontrol housing 20 is removably mounted on its base 21 (FIG. 4) at therear of the cabinet top deck 22 with the control housing rear wall 24positioned flush with the deck wall portion or rear flange 26 andcabinet rear panel 14. It will be noted in FIG. 3 that the deck rearflange 26 has a return flange 28 juxtaposed to top flange 30 of the rearpanel 14 to define a clearance space 32 between the deck return flange28 and the top flange 30.

A clothes drying hanger or rack, generally indicated at 34, is removablypositioned on the appliance by means of a bracket assembly generallyindicated at 40. The bracket assembly includes a generally rectangularmounting plate 42 positioned substantially flush with the cabinet rearwall 14 and the deck rear flange 26 so as to overlie the clearance space32. The mounting plate 42 has a pair of forwardly or inwardly projectingflange fingers 44 and 46 struck from the mounting plate side edges, atsubstantially right angles to the plate. The plate is of a gauge orthickness such that upon the finger flanges being press fitted in theclearance 32 with the lower plate portion 48 flush with cabinet rearwall 14 the mounting plate is secured in a removable manner to theappliance.

As best seen in FIG. 1, the deck rear flange 26 of the appliance 10 hasventing means in the form of a plurality of vertically extending ventingslots which in the disclosed form are provided in two groups of fourslots each at both the left hand and right hand sides of the deck rearflange as shown by the left hand slots 52. The right hand venting slotsare shown at 54a, 54b, 54c and 54d in FIG. 2 and which in the disclosedform are about 3/16 inch wide and 13/16 inches high while being locatedon about 9/16 inch centers.

The mounting plate 42 has formed thereon a pair of vertical slots, shownat 55 and 56 in FIG. 2, which are dimensioned to coincide with a pair ofadjacent mounting plate vent slots 54. Thus, by virtue of the planarfinger flanges being shiftable in a horizontal planar direction withinthe clearance space 32 it will be appreciated that the mounting platecan be readily adjusted to align its slots 55 and 56 with the vent slots54a and 54b, for example, to provide two sets of coinciding slots forthe reception of portions of the bracket assembly to be described.

As shown in FIG. 2 the bracket assembly 40 includes a strap retainergenerally indicated at 60, constructed in accordance with the presentinvention for mounting tubular socket or sleeve member 62 on themounting plate 42. The strap 60 is of a generally U-shaped configurationhaving a retaining portion in the form of a semicircular curved portion64 being of a size which closely conforms to the outline or curvature ofthe sleeve member 62. While in the disclosed form of the invention thesleeve 62 is cylindrical in cross section to telescopically receivetherein a vertical cylindrical tube portion 66 of the clothes hangerassembly, it will be appreciated that the other shapes such as a squaarecross section could be substituted for the sleeve 62 and tube 66 withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention.

The strap member. 60 is asymmetrical in shape having a tangentiallyextending leg 72 on one end of the portion 62 extending toward themounting plate so as to be normally disposed thereto and projectingthrough the set of aligned slots 56 and 54b. The strap 60 has a firstfoot portion thereon in the form of a right angle foot flange 74extending outwardly a defined distance beyond the outboard adjacent setof aligned slots 55 and 54a. The ,foot flange 74 has a threaded opening76 therein for the reception of threaded fastening means in the form ofpointed machine screw 78 such that upon tightening the screw 78 draws upthe foot 74 to clamp the mounting plate to the deck rear flange 26.

The other end of the strap retaining portion has a second foot, flangein substantial alignment with the vertical axis of sleeve 62 and whichextends radially outwardly from the sleeve a defined distance tosubstantially coincide with the vertical edge 82 of plate 42. The secondfoot flange is thus located in a vertical plane offset a defineddistance from the vertical plane of the first foot flange 74, which inthe disclosed form is about one-half the diameterof sleeve 62 plus thecombined thickness of plate 42 and wall portion 26. An opening isprovided on foot 80 for threaded fastener means 84 which in thedisclosed form is a machine screw similar to or interchangeable withscrew 78. Threaded receptacle means in the plate in the form of a boss86 whose base 88 is secured as by welding to the outer face of plate 42such that the boss s threaded bore is aligned to receive the screw 84whereby upon tightening the second foot flange 80 is urged toward theplate 42 to clamp the sleeve 62 between the strap portion 64 and theplate.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 4, the hanger member .34 has its verticaltube 66 slidably and rotatably positioned in sleeve 62 such that aclothes rack portion, shown in the disclosed form as a right angled bar89 joined tothe upper end of the vertical tube 66, may be lowered to itsretracted solid line position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 or raised toits-dashed line position extending above the top or deck 22 at anydesired height by means of a oneway catch mechanism shown generally at90. The one way catch 90 includes a one piece pipe clamp 92 having apair of securingflanges gripped by a fastener 94 together with pivotallink 96 having an eyelet 97 through which the fastener 94 extends whilethe link 96 large eyelet 98 pivotally supports a push-up arm 99. The arm99 has an aperture 102 therein for receiving the tube 66 while theaperture has a frustoconical section (not shown) providing an uppersharp edge to engage the hanger tube 66. I

Thus, the homemaker can adjust the rack 89 to any vertical androtational position desired by merely pushing up on arm 99 and raisingand/ or pivoting the tube 66. A reverse procedure results in the armlowering by 4 gravity to the retracted position shown in FIGS. 4, afterwhich additional means,.not shown, may be used to securely lock the tube66 in place adjacent the rear wall 24 of the housing 20. It will benoted that the rack bar 89 has a plurality of spaced notches 104 forseparating clothes hangers on the bar 89.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosedconstitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted.

I claim:

1. A major appliance cabinet, said cabinet including a rear wall portionflush with a rear cabinet panel having a plurality of verticallyelongated parallel vent slots therein, bracket means for removablymounting a clothes hanger assembly upon said rear wall portion; saidhanger assembly including a vertically extending mounting sleeve member,said bracket means including a mounting plate, means for securing saidplate in flush relation with said wall portion, said plate having a pairof vertically elongated slots arranged to coincide with a pair of saidwall portion slots defining first'and second sets of aligned slots, astrap member closely conforming to a portion of the cross section ofsaid sleeve, said strap having a leg on one end disposed normal to saidplate so as to extend through said first set of slots, said strap havinga first foot portion extending at right angles outwardly from said leg adefined distance beyond the adjacent second set of slots, a threadedopening in said first foot aligned with said second set of slots, afirst threaded fastener extending through said second setof slots intothreaded engagement with said first foot opening, said strap having asecond foot extending outwardly from its other end in parallel offsetrelation with said first foot so as to be substantially aligned in the'plane of the vertical axis of said sleeve, a threaded receptacle on saidplate, a second threaded fastener extending through said second footinto threaded engagement with said receptacle for urging said secondfoot toward said plate to clamp said sleeve between said strap memberand said plate, said hanger assembly including a vertical tube shapedfor telescopic reception into said mounting sleeve, said tube includinga right angled clothes rack portion located on the upper end of saidtube, one-way catch means positioned on said mounting sleeve forreleasably gripping said tube whereby said tube may be adjusted to aplurality of vertical clothes hanging positions or a retractedposition,- and said wall portion formed by the flange of a top deck ofsaid cabinet, said top deck flange having a return flange juxtaposed tothe cabinet panel top flange to define a clearance space between saiddeck return flange and said panel top .flange, and said plate securingmeans including flange fingers struck from said mounting plate atsubstantially right angles thereto adapted for a press horizontallyadjustable fit in the clearance space.

1. A major appliance cabinet, said cabinet including a rear wall portionflush with a rear cabinet panel having a plurality of verticallyelongated parallel vent slots therein, bracket means for removablymounting a clothes hanger assembly upon said rear wall portion; saidhanger assembly including a vertically extending mounting sleeve member,said bracket means including a mounting plate, means for securing saidplate in flush relation with said wall portion, said plate having a pairof vertically elongated slots arranged to coincide with a pair of saidwall portion slots defining first and second sets of aligned slots, astrap member closely conforming to a portion of the cross section ofsaid sleeve, said strap having a leg on one end disposed normal to saidplate so as to extend through said first set of slots, said strap havinga first foot portion extending at right angles outwardly from said leg adefined distance beyond the adjacent second set of slots, a threadedopening in said first foot aligned with said second set of slots, afirst threaded fastener extending through said second set of slots intothreaded engagement with said first foot opening, said strap having asecond foot extending outwardly from its other end in parallel offsetrelation with said first foot so as to be substantially aligned in theplane of the vertical axis of said sleeve, a threaded receptacle on saidplate, a second threaded fastener extending through said second footinto threaded engagement with said receptacle for urging said secondfoot toward said plate to clamp said sleeve between said strap memberand said plate, said hanger assembly including a vertical tube shapedfor telescopic reception into said mounting sleeve, said tube includinga right angled clothes rack portion located on the upper end of saidtube, one-way catch means positioned on said mounting sleeve forreleasably gripping said tube whereby said tube may be adjusted to aplurality of vertical clothes hanging positions or a retracted position,and said wall portion formed by the flange of a top deck of saidcabinet, said top deck flange having a return flange juxtaposed to thecabinet panel top flange to define a clearance space between said deckreturn flange and said panel top flange, and said plate securing meansincluding flange fingers struck from said mounting plate atsubstantially right angles thereto adapted for a press horizontallyadjustable fit in the clearance space.